The Churchill County Commissioners accepted the annual Comprehensive Financial Report and heard an audit report from Hinton Burdick CPAs and Advisors for the year ending June 30, 2023, during their last meeting, also hearing a report from County Comptroller Sherry Wideman.
Hinton Burdick issued a clean opinion on the financial statement for the year and submitted their independent auditor’s report, which was included in Wideman’s Financial Report, which also gave a general explanation of the county fund types, including the general fund, local economic condition and outlook, and a report on taxable sales.
According to the report presented by Wideman, the most recent data as of July 1, 2022, shows a population of 26,564, a .97% increase over the prior year. Significant industries within the county boundaries include geothermal and solar plants, manufacturers, hospital and medical services, retail stores, Naval Air Station Fallon, and civilian support.
The report also states that “A review of the highest taxable sales by business codes indicate that general merchandise stores were up $2 million, automotive sales were down $3.2 million, non-retail stores were up $3.6 million, building materials were down $1.1 million, and food and drink establishments were down $3.4 million. Statewide taxable sales increased 6.3% for the year. Churchill County’s taxable sales decreased 3%, with total revenues decreasing by $43,852 or .5%.”
Property taxes are the second largest revenue resource for the county, with assessed valuation in 2023 at $970,660,762, a 4.79% increase from the year before. Individual residential construction grew with 58 new single-family building permits issued, a 58% decrease from the previous year. Commercial building permits were down from the prior year by $256,019 at $1,288,281.
The State Constitution limits total taxes levied by all overlapping local governments within the boundary of a county (i.e., county, city, school district, special district) to a combined overlapping tax rate limited to $3.64 per $100 of assessed valuation. For more information on where property taxes are spent in Churchill County, go to churchillcountynv.gov/855/Property-Tax-Rates on the county website.
The Commissioners heard from Jeremy Drew with Resource Concepts, Inc. He presented a list of public lands and natural resource issues he has been working on for the county. “The FRTC (Fallon Range Training Complex) modernization has moved into the implementation stage,” said Drew. He continues to meet with BLM on the withdrawal boundaries and the county conveyances. The Wilderness Study Areas have been released, and the National Conservation Areas and Wilderness Areas are pending various BLM management plans, “my suspicion is that’s probably three to five years out.”
He said that the direct conveyances to the county are lands managed by Reclamation. They meet with BLM weekly to discuss how the lands must go from BOR to BLM and then to the county.
Regarding mitigation, Drew said, “The Dixie Valley Training Range will be the number one area to go operational, and primarily, what they’re looking for there is to buy out the 2,000 to 2,500 acres of private land left out there.” Work also has begun on the public outreach for the realignment of the Gabbs Valley Road.
Commissioners also approved proceeding with the alternative identified by Shaw Engineering in the Secondary Water Treatment Plant Draft Preliminary Engineering Report to place the new facility at the golf course, complete the Environmental Review, and finalize the draft report. The county has received $6 million in funding for the plant's construction. Total costs for the plant construction will be determined after receipt of bid proposals.
There will be a Public Hearing on January 4, 2024, at 8:15 a.m. on two ordinances that will amend the County Code to clarify business license requirements for special events. Sheriff Hickox has requested a review of the current code to bring the county procedures for liquor licenses in line with surrounding counties and address frustration regarding the quarterly payment of liquor license fees. Additionally, the ordinance would clarify that non-profit organizers of special events not be limited to the fairgrounds but allowed at any county-owned or leased facility, make changes to the fingerprint procedure, and remove concealed carry weapon permit owners from fingerprinting as a business.
Commissioners elected Myles Getto as the new chairman for 2024, with the current commission chair, Bus Scharmann, serving as Vice-Chair. Commissioner Justice Heath will serve as Chair of the Highway Commission with Getto as Vice, and Getto will remain Chair of the CC Communications board with Scharmann as Vice. They voted to keep their representation on the remaining 30 boards and committees, from the Audit Committee to the Yucca Mountain Committee, the same as last year.
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